How encompassing is the Release Management Process (for that matter, you could ask this for Change and Configuration as well) in regards to governing, if anything, in software development activities? It is my interpretation that ITIL assumes that software already be developed prior to entering into Release Management, by whatever methodology the developemnt team chooses (i.e. RUP, XP, etc.). The interface point between the two organizations (development and operations) being the actual deliverable itself being introduced into Change Mangement for formal release via Release Mangement into the production environment. Lately I have been questioning myself whether or not ITIL processes should extend into the software development side of the business to provide assistance with Change, Release and Configuration Mangement.

Have you picked up the other ITIL books on Software Asset Management and Application Management? There is valuable insight about this subject in both.

If you think of Software Development as part of the broader IT Service Management framework and philosophy you might see its strong connection to the core ITIL disciplines of Change and Release. They complement each other well if you place Service Management as the over arching framework for both.

At my own firm people have a tendency to limit their thinking to the ten core disciplines (Service Support and Service Delivery). I prefer to look at the bigger picture of IT Service Management (the overall umbrella or framwork). This perspective allows me to map any and all activities conducted in IT into the overall framework. This includes Enterprise Architecture, Strategic Planning, App Dev, Systems Management, etc. It has made integration and connection between processes such as Release and Software Development much smoother and more natural.